The Best Christmas
by PopRock62
Summary: Oneshot. It's Christmas day on the horcrux search. Can Ron tell Hermione how he really feels? The story is better than summary. Reviewing is really appreciated, cause it's my first story.


**AN: This is my first story, and I really hope you enjoy it. Please review!**

**The Best Christmas**

_9:00 AM_

A light, fluffy snow fell lazily down into an ordinary forest somewhere in England. It frosted the towering pine trees. A thin covering of ice and snowflakes coated almost everything in woods. A frozen pond shined in the early morning light. Next to the pond sat three teenagers, who were just waking up.

Harry stared into the small fire in front of him, his expression worn. Ron yawned widely and gently awakened the girl next to him, Hermione. She pushed her bushy her out of her face and smoothed it down. Harry spoke first.

"Happy Christmas," he said, not sounding at all happy.

"Oh, Harry, you're right!" Hermione gasped. "I completely forgot! Happy Christmas, you guys. I only wish I had something to give you."

"We don't have time for presents, anyway." Harry said, getting up. "Come on, we have to get going."

Ron gaped at Harry, an incredulous look on his face.

"You're not serious!" he cried. "You won't even take a break for _Christmas_?"

"I'd never thought I'd say this, Harry," Hermione began, "but Ron is right!

Ron opened his mouth for a comeback, but soon remembered the more important matter at hand.

"Come on, Harry!" Ron begged. "Let us have a little fun on Christmas! You know you want to, too!"

Ron gave Harry his best puppy dog eyes look. Hermione smiled extra sweetly up at him.

Harry couldn't help the small smile that formed on his lips.

"Fine," he said, "we'll stay for today, but only as long as Ron promises to never make that face again, it's scaring me."

Ron shook Harry's hand, laughing.

"Deal!"

_10:15 AM_

"Oh, Ron, don't! That's so immature!" Hermione scolded in a whisper. "I don't Harry would appreciate that!"

"Come on Hermione! Harry's just been sitting there under that tree staring for the entire past hour! That's no way to spend Christmas!"

She tried to hold him back, but he crept ahead anyway. She sighed, giving up, but kept a look of disapproval. Ron walked quietly up behind the tiny pine tree as Harry leaned against it, and he shook it as hard as possible. All of the snow slipped off the branches at once and poured straight on to an extremely surprised Harry.

"Hey!" he cried, emerging from pile of powdery snow. But now he was smiling. "Ron!"

Ron responded by laughing harder than he already was. Harry threw a snowball at the side of Ron's head. Hermione stood shaking her head but smiling. All of a sudden, Ron stopped laughing.

_She looks so beautiful, _Ron found himself thinking. He stared at her, completely absorbed in her, just staring and thinking about everything he loved about her. Her confidence, the way she looked at him, her smile, and especially her big amber eyes. He thought he could look into them forever. That was when he got an idea. Today was the day.

He was ready to tell her.

_1:30 PM_

"Hey, Hermione, can I-er-talk to you for bit?" Ron asked awkwardly. He already felt a blush forming on his cheeks.

"Sure," Hermione said, a hint of curiosity in her voice. "Have you seen Harry by the way? He seems to have wandered off."

"Well, we can look for him later, this is important!" Ron said a little frantically as he led her behind a small tree just in case Harry was nearby. He wasn't eager to be overheard. He took a deep breath. Hermione looked concerned.

"Er, Hermione, this isn't easy to say, but I have to and I've wanted to say it for a long time and you might have guessed where I'm going with this but anyway what I'm trying to say is I—″ Ron's confusing rambling was cut short as a huge downpour of snow fell from the tree and right onto both their heads.

"Ha! Take that!" Harry cried as he leaped out from behind the tree, pointing at Ron.

Ron and Hermione looked at each and started to laugh.

"What was it you wanted to talk to me about again?" Hermione giggled, brushing the snow out of Ron's ginger hair.

"Nothing," Ron said dismissively, walking away to talk to Harry. He would tell her soon. Now wasn't right.

_4:00 PM_

The sun was getting closer to setting. The snow had stopped, leaving an inch or two of delicate white flakes on top of the already snow-coated ground. On that ground stood Ron, Hermione, and Harry, and they had no idea what to do next. But fortunately, soon enough Hermione had a great idea.

"I know!" she exclaimed. "We can ice skate! That pond is pretty frozen, it will be perfect!"

"Good idea Hermione!" Harry agreed wholeheartedly. "I just hope I can remember how. I haven't ice skated since the time the Dursleys couldn't get Mrs. Figg to babysit. They had to take me with them to the ice rink. This time will definitely be much more fun!"

Ron, however, was much less enthused.

"Er, guys…" he said quietly. "I have no idea how to ice skate."

"Oh Ron, it's easy!" Hermione said encouragingly. "I'll teach you."

Hermione used her wand to conjure up some ice skates out of thin air with ease. Ron raised his eyebrows. He had always been in awe of how good of a witch she was, except for a brief period of jealousy in his first year. He wondered if she was as good at skating as she was at magic. Either way she'd be better than he would.

_4:15 PM_

Soon enough the trio had put on their ice skates and were on the pond. Hermione and Harry got the hang of it again pretty quickly as Ron sat on the ice and watched. After a few minutes, Hermione skated gracefully over to him.

"Want to give it a try?" she asked, offering him a hand up. He took it, and attempted to stand. He promptly fell over, and took Hermione down with him.

"Are you all right?" he asked, concerned. "I'm so sorry! I should just stop right now and let you guys skate!"

"Ron, Ron, it's okay!" Hermione said comfortingly, standing. "Here, try again."

Hermione stuck out her hand. Ron took it, and managed to stand. He let go of her hand, and wobbled little in attempt to keep himself up, then began to wave him arms and finally fell down once more. Harry snorted loudly from across the pond. Even Hermione giggled a little.

"Oh, ha ha ha," Ron said sourly, standing up by himself this time. He kept standing this time, he was getting used to balancing by himself.

Hermione began to teach Ron to skate, holding his hand to help him learn. He started out slow, and after many spectacular falls and wisecracks from Harry, he was eventually was able to skate at a normal speed. Hermione continued to hold his hand as they skated together. They both knew he didn't need her to anymore. But neither bothered to let go.

After a little while, Harry announced he was tired and went off to sit by the fire, leaving Ron and Hermione to skate by themselves.

A few minutes later, Ron decided to skate a little faster, trying to impress Hermione, but it did not work out very well. His legs tangled together and he fell fast and hard. Hermione fell right with him. Ron fell on his back, and Hermione fell forward on top of him. They both burst out laughing, their faces a mere two inches apart. When their laughter died down, they found each themselves staring into each other eyes.

It was her eyes that did it. He got lost in them. His mind got lost in them. That was the only explanation for what he said next.

"I love you."

Hermione's eyebrows raised, her eyes widened slightly. Then her expression softened. She looked at Ron, seeming to be debating what to say. Then she smiled, and spoke.

"I love you, too."

That was all Ron needed. He leaned in, and closing his eyes, he kissed her. Neither knew for how long, a second or a minute or twenty, and neither cared. All they knew and all they cared about was that they were kissing the love of their lives, the one they loved since the second they saw each other, whether they knew right away or not. Neither wanted it to end.

Eventually, Ron and Hermione broke apart. Ron was the first to say something, as he looked in her eyes again.

"I think this was the best Christmas."

Hermione kissed him once more, and Ron knew she thought the same.


End file.
